Carlos N. Medina
Vice President for Equity and Inclusion and Senior Consultant
Carlos.Medina@academicsearch.org
Dr. Carlos N. Medina is an exemplary Senior Consultant with invaluable experience earned in teaching, executive leadership, governance, and in particular, diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. As the founding Chief Diversity Officer at SUNY—the country’s largest comprehensive higher education system—Dr. Medina boasts a unique skillset that is especially beneficial for searches in the progressive realm of higher education.
Dr. Medina is Brooklyn born and raised and started his career in education as a high school physical education teacher. He spent several years teaching at a New York state-run institution for juvenile delinquents, and he later earned his master’s degree in human services administration from Cornell University. In 1989, Dr. Medina was selected as one of just eight coveted Regent Management Fellows with the New York State Education Department. The one-year appointment parlayed into a decade-long full-time position with the Education Department that saw Dr. Medina earn rich experience in managing teacher preparation, math and science enrichment, professional development, state government, and more. These funded programs and services were not only administered in K-12 education, but also at both private and public institutions of higher education throughout the state of New York, giving Dr. Medina a unique understanding of the K-20 education pipeline.
Dr. Medina served as the director of Student Support Services for SUNY’s Center for Academic and Workforce Development. He managed a $12.5 million budget as director of the Bridge Program (SUNY’s flagship Welfare-to-Work Initiative) and the Financing Your Independence Program. Additionally, Dr. Medina was named SUNY associate provost and associate vice chancellor for the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in August 2011. While holding those positions, Dr. Medina led SUNY’s efforts to promote and advance diversity goals and ensure they are properly captured within all university policies and procedures. He provided leadership and strategic direction to SUNY campuses in connection with the recruitment and retention of faculty, staff, and administrators from groups within society that are underrepresented in higher education. In 2014, the SUNY System, which oversees all 64 campuses within the State University of New York, named Dr. Medina its first Vice Chancellor and Chief Diversity Officer.
Since joining Academic Search in 2019, Dr. Medina has facilitated an array of searches, including those for deans, chief diversity officers, directors, presidents, vice presidents, and more. With more than 30 years of higher education and government experience, Dr. Medina is prepared to weather any issues that may arise in a search. He is highly skilled when it comes to ensuring that a search runs smoothly, and he is passionate about finding the best possible candidates for each position.
